By SHERRI KOLADE
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — A local woman’s preliminary examination is set after she was charged for allegedly hitting two women with her car on April 18.
Dearborn Heights police arrested Natalie Hassan, 23, on several charges and she is being held in the Wayne County Jail on a $250,000 bond, Dearborn Heights Police Det. Steven Gurka said.
Hassan was alleged to have hit Nancy Faraj, 27, of Dearborn Heights and Hanan Achkar, 21, of Dearborn, with her Chevy Malibu, in a fit of rage because Achkar is friends with Hassan’s ex-husband.
Achkar was in critical condition at Oakwood Hopsital and Medical Center as of press time. Faraj suffered minor injuries.
Published reports said Hassan and Achker were involved in a physical altercation minutes before the car injury with Hassan allegedly saying, “I’m going to (expletive) kill you guys.”
Gurka said minutes before the crime Hassan and Achkar were in front of the vehicle and two men pulled them apart when they were involved in the scuffle on Garling south of Town Lane.
According to police reports, the dispute occurred when Hassan and Achkar bumped into each other at a Detroit beauty supply store. A witness who was at the store with Achkar said Hassan approached Achkar and told her she had a problem with her before exiting the store.
Other witness statements said the problem Hassan had revolved around Achkar’s friendship with Hassan’s ex husband. According to reports, after Hassan left the store Achkar followed her with her car until Hassan stopped driving at Garling Drive and Town Lane. The women then got out of their vehicles and got into what police described as a “physical altercation” that bystanders eventually broke up.
The fight allegedly took place outside the house of Achkar’s friend, Faraj, who Hassan reportedly didn’t like for talking to her former husband. After Faraj went outside to help her friend after the altercation, Hassan allegedly got into her car, revved the engine and allegedly ran into both women.
Witnesses said she reversed and ran into them again. Hassan fled the scene but was apprehended at her mother’s house by Dearborn Heights police, according to reports. Faraj suffered minor injuries and was treated and released. Police said they believe Achkar’s head was struck on the ground after she was hit by the car. She was taken to the hospital where she underwent surgery to relieve pressure from brain swelling which left her in a coma, police said.
Hassan is charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, reckless driving causing severe impairment, felonious assault and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Hassan’s preliminary examination is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday at 20th District Court.
(Sherri Kolade can be reached at [email protected])